Adventure! RPG: Heroes of Our Time - Table Talk: Character Creation

[Alex Craft]

A little character creation note ... I challenge at least a few of you to have families. Y'know, a spouse. Maybe a kid or two, or even just a girl/boyfriend ... so many times characters show up completely unattached, in that sense, and realistically it's a bit odd.

[Mark J. Cobb]

Quote:

Originally posted by Regan McLachlan:
For people looking to fit into the game:

Regan McLachlan has been updated with the Kingpin enhancement. This means she knows a lot of people spanning several social and cultural milieus. Like Savant from the Wildstorm comic book universe (yes, is technically a superhero, but like Batman would fit into a pulpy kind of world), there's very few things or people Regan can't chase up eventually.

I am already responsible for Robert Fulke as a mentor (Regan's Jack of All Tongues Knack and Mastery in Academics made them a perfect match. ) but I can think of plot hooks to link Raphael (Regan has a pair of sunglasses that are super-science), Alex Reid and Jim Tanner (information source, possibly even working together) and Mark Cobb (possible acquaintance/occasional ally?).

You guys tell me what you think and PM me with ideas for a backstory if it appeals to you.

I might take you up on that.

[Mark J. Cobb]

Jason Cobb: Mark's father is still in the military (US) at a mid level rank and is more than a little disappointed in the way his son turned out. Their relationship is slightly strained since Elainor died.

Elainor Cobb: His mother (Jameson's niece?) passed away about 5 years ago in an auto accident (a pretty common accurence in the US). No treachery noted but that don't mean much... since she was a mid-level technician at her husbands base in the research facility.

Julia Cobb: The family's golden child. Diplomatic Assistant at the UN. She loves to rub Mark's nose in her success. She has wealth and influence. Not to mention good looks and a touch of arrogance. Younger than Mark by a few years.

Mark also has an on-again-off-again girlfriend who is cute but a little manipulative, spiteful, and self centered (she want's Mark to do well so he can provide for her, which is why they are only a couple when he's doing "well"). She is, however, humorous and does care for Mark in her own fashon. Her name is Tammy Yates.

Great Uncle Jameson: They've met only twice. Once when Mark was a kid and then at Elainor's funeral but his word carries weight in the family (which is why Mark's father hasn't disowned him) and he has contacted Mark a few times (mainly letters and a few phone calls). Mark thinks the 'Old Man' is just nosey but maybe he sees a little of his fire in the misfit Mark or maybe he just wants to make sure the Mark doesn't screw up TOO badly...

[Buzzkill]

I managed to save it to a paint doc and/or an MS doc, but I still can't post it here. Can I email it to you maybe Alex?

[Alex Craft]

Sure. meloy@bsu.edu

[Alex Reid]

Okay, mulling over the family (I routinely invent 'family' for characters as a rule) and checking out the knacks.

Anyone remember an old British series called, "The Champions"? It has some of the same feel as this campaign.

[Tekk One]

Another concept that I was mulling between Tanner and Reid could be that their father's worked together, and Tanner & Reid were childhood friends, after Reid's father was killed they went their separate ways.

QUOTE]Originally posted by Archangel:

[QB]Tanner and Reid could have crossed paths somewhere - perhaps at the police academy.

Tanner gets in and Reid doesn't, but they still keep in touch w/ each other over the years, leading into them running into each other during the hunt for a dangerous criminal.

[jameson (ST)]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex Craft:
concise commentary on characters thus far ...

Dr. Raphael Bradford

Seems pretty together. I'll ask for a focus on his super-scientific leanings, since it's easy to get a lot of overlap between scientist characters, otherwise. However, it does look like he has something of a focus on chemistry/materials science, so maybe that's already there.

Also, if he is to be Knack-light, that allows for more generality than someone with Mad Scientist, or something like that, since he won't be able to produce new stuff quite as quickly.

Seems to check well with the game direction I have in mind, so no fear there.

With 30 TPs to work with I think you can expect Raphael to be EXTREMELY skilled. I intend to remain Knack light, however I may end up with some given the number of points.

I actually see Raphael as being equally capable in all three of his fields due to the resources of his company he can direct the research and apply his knowledge as needed in the best way to get projects going or keep projects on track. One of the things I do want to do is to allow for modern science. Basically one of ATIs high profile and high capital areas is gene-treatments and pharmacuticals. With raw chemistry and mechanical/electrical engineering taking the 3rd and 4th seats (though far from neglected or un-used)

ATI will represent the source of his massive resources background, as well as followers (the employees), Influence, and Reputation. This guy is to research science what Bill Gates is to computers and then some. If he decides to build a plant in China he can probably expexct the full support of the US and Chinese governments. I'm really looking to make a guy who operates like King did in the last game, but who gets his hands dirty a little more often. He's been endowed with the same strong morals that Jameson had though so he uses his power to aid humanity with minimal control and power.

[Erin 'Stellar' Donovan]

Joel Lefevre-Stevenson

Joel has always been something of a blacksheep of the family. With the rest of the family focused on family company, Joel was instead drawn to other, less academic pursuits. Joel found that he was good at anything he tried.. the more extreme the better. This led him into all manner of extreme sports, mountain climbing, racing fast cars (on and off the track), flying high speed aircraft, and so on. Each thing he tried would only entertain him for so long then he would get bored and move on to something else, somewhere else in the world, something more extreme, something that gave more of a rush and thrill. This lifestyle was large permitted due to the wealth of the family, and after a time, it was more or less encouraged as long as it kept him away from the family business, allowing the others to work.

Finally he found the world of Mixed Martial Arts, where he seemed to excel even more. The rush was constant, a never-ending flow of new opponents, constant innovation, unpredictibility. He began training at the Wolf's Lair Gym in Liverpool. He pushed his body to new levels, going through rigorous physical conditioning. He grew as a fighter very quickly, displaying an amazing ability to learn and finally innovate, surprising even his coaches with his progress. Not only had he found something he loved and was exceptionally good at, but for the first time he was being instilled with discipline and growing as a person.

Though a jovial, fun loving guy in general, when it came to fighting he had a knack for getting under his opponent's skin in the pre-fight interviews and once in the ring/cage/octagon his demeanor would change, almost becoming another person. His desire to win and cause bodily harm to his opponents was palpable to them, rattling even the most seasoned fighters. He is the only person to simultaneously hold two titles in the UFC at two different weight divisions, virtually seating himself in the Hall of Fame.

Things were going well for Joel. He was excelling in his sport and was now instructing at the Wolf’s Lair, he had a long term girlfriend (for once) and his relations with his family grew and strengthened, especially with his younger brother, Sean. It came as little surprise when his parents officially retired from the company and left it to Sean. He certainly did have a better head for business.

It was during a visit with his parent’s, helping them unpack some of their things in the new home that he came across a box of old photos and newspaper clippings. When he asked about them his father smiled and explained to hima bout his great grandmother, Brigitte and his great, great grandfather, Guillaume, who started the company and established it’s charitable tradition.

With permission, he took the box back home with him and examined the pictures and read the articles, leaning od his great, great grandparent’s untimely death and of Brigitte’s survival. He learned of some of her adventures, of tasks that she and others like her took onto their shoulders to solve to make the world a better place. It was then, that he realized how he had had been so selfish for most of his life, squandering his natural talents to find the next big thrill. It was then that he decided he would make a change.. and it was then that he saw a photo of Brigitte and some man, obviously a friend. A man.. who Joel had met after a fight. A man who must be over one hundred years old, but looked nothing like it. Joel dug through his drawers for the card the man had given him, and with some confusion, hope and trepidation, dialed the number.

"Janos Rakozi?"

[Mark J. Cobb]

(ahem) tweaking my character... again... (put it in the wrong thread originally)

Mark Cobb was born to Jason and Eleanor Cobb in 1975 in Virginia at the Army base hospital where is father was stationed at. They stayed in the area until 1980 when his sister, Julia, was born. Soon after, his father was transferred to a base in Illinois near the Chicago area. They bounced all across the country about every two years until 1990 when his mother got a position as a civilian researcher at a military facility in northern California. Where she worked until her death in an auto accident in 2005.

Schooling was difficult for Mark, even though he was tested at above average intelligence. He never really settled into his new environments, was rebellious, and sarcastic. Or, as his father would say, “His mouth wrote checks his body couldn’t cash.” Mark got into fights frequently and even though he didn’t usually ‘win,’ it was because it was three-to-one against although he had less damage than his opponents. It wasn’t until much later, either from reports from his sister or when Mark’s few acquaintances would look him up, did his parents discover that Mark actually provoked bullies away from the younger kids… Which got him pounded.

When he was 10 they were living in the Texas Pan-Handle and were invited to a family reunion on Eleanor’s side. That’s when he met Great Uncle Jameson. He was larger than life but playful and would tell the kids stories from his younger days. Mark didn’t believe half of them but he did notice how the other adults treated him. This Old Man was some sort of Hero. He was more than a little surprised when he sarcastically called him an Old Man to get a rise out of him, that he just laughed and said, “It beats the alternative, besides, maybe you’ll be this lucky.”

Even when they settled in California and his father became a recruiter while his mother worked at, what they called, “The Facility,” Mark never really settled. He was still fighting and rebellious but he managed to get decent enough grades to go to college. After a year he quite and enrolled in a tech school for security work. Although he missed ‘all the extra stuff’ and the college lifestyle he seemed to really enjoy the security training. About a year later he started to get bored. After seeing him lose focus, his father pulled him aside and said, “Son, if this is REALLY what you want to do, why don’t you do it someplace where you can make a difference.” At the age of 20 and looking for inspiration, Mark joined the US Army.

About halfway through boot camp Mark decided that his father didn’t like him much. Although he grumbled and complained, he also excelled. He also didn’t mind it when the younger kids called him Old Man. No ordinary grunt, Mark would pull off situations that would kill anyone else. (Like the time a mortar explosion threw him several hundred feet. He simply groaned, stood up, dusted himself off, and went back to work.) He just got a little battered. Mark was tough. While he always got the job done, his abrasive nature and clashes with authority got him a series of demotions, reprimands, and punishments. Although not good enough to be a solo operative, he did qualify for Special Forces. The teams he was a part of had unusually high success rates, with their commanders admitting that Mark was often the deciding factor. He would push them through and then carry them home (sometimes literally). As one officer commented in his evaluation: “He was to stubborn to fail even when he already lost.”

Some one started paying attention to Mark’s record and looked into his background. He was transferred from Special Forces into something simply called “The Elite.” The Elite was a specialized group of people who were known to Inspired on some level (mostly low level stalwarts and daredevils). Mark lasted less than a year and got himself kicked out to a Standard Front Line Infantry unit. He hated the Elite. To him they were a bunch of “fake hero wannabes who blindly follow the orders of people who couldn’t pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the bottom.”

Mark cashiered himself out of the Army the year after the terror attacks hit the US. When his angry father asked him why he left when they needed men like him the most, his reply was along the lines of, “Even if that’s true, they’re going to muck it up and I’m going to be the one holding the bloody bag.”

He didn’t stay away completely. He did several mercenary runs in those areas. He also did a lot of security work for the UN (usually when his sister asked) and escorted reporters from varies news corps along with corporate leaders to their business holdings. That’s when he met his occasional girlfriend, Tammy Yates. She was the front-end receptionist for the local K.I.S. affiliate, which he did some low-level security work for. Her biggest responsibility, besides answering the phones, was to hand out the checks every two weeks to the private contractors (exterminators, cleaners, and night watchmen like Mark).

In 2005, Mark’s mother died in a car crash coming home late from work. At the Wake everyone showed up including Great Uncle Jameson (whom everyone assumed was dead). After giving his condolences he pulled Mark aside and chatted with him a bit. Not much was said but people did hear snatches of the Old Man saying things like not to get “pissy” when the world gets dark, some things you do because of who you are, and that people are made up of the choices the do make and of the ones they don’t. Leaving Mark he talked to a few other people then said his farewells and left.

Soon after, Mark walked away from all of his little jobs and moved to the city. He got a job as a taxi driver and seemed to just exist. His father gritted his teeth and his sister rolled her eyes and they both just left him be. That all changed towards the end of 2009 when Mark walked into his favorite convenient store, Mr. Fengs, to get a soda for his evening shift,

The thug holding his gun to Mr. Feng’s head tried to turn it on Mark as he entered but he never had a chance. Mark plowed into him, driving him through a display of chips, and practically burying him in the pizza cooler. The thug had two friends. One with a bat, tried to beat him. Said bat broke. Mark broke the thug. The remaining hooligan had a pistol and fired two rounds in Marks direction. To this day no one is sure where those shots went. Mark helped him leave by pitching him through the plate glass window. When the police arrived, Mark and Mr. Feng were enjoying a beer while bruised Mark held an icepack to his eye.

About a week later, the local paper ran a full-page article on Mark calling him the “Southside Hero.” Either it was a slow news week or the reporter was an anally thorough guy, because someone did their homework on Mark. This wasn’t the first incident with Mr. Cobb. There was the time he ran 8 blocks to catch a purse-snatcher. After catching him, Mark carried the now unconscious man to the scene of the crime and the waiting police officers. There was the rescuing people from the burning homeless shelter and the uncovering of three small marijuana growers. Since he moved to the bad side of town in 2005, he has called in no less then 50 emergency calls that have resulted in arrests and/or lives saved and Mark’s cab as been to the ER at least monthly with a pregnant woman or crime victim. Runaways often find themselves in his cab heading back to their home (his cab was seen as far away as Colorado) or, if the family was uncertain, to the local social services department.

The only quote they managed to get from Mark was, “I ain’t no hero.” Taking that spin the article closed with, “Mark Cobb is a regular guy who, in his own way, is tirelessly making this corner of the world better for us all.”

A few months later Mark received a phone call. It was Great Uncle Jameson. After all this time, he was the one who figured out how to get Mark going in the best direction. Not by telling him, but by asking him… “I saw the paper. I wonder if you could do me a favor…”

=

OK. I hope I put in enough hooks for everyone. I left the city vague so he could be placed anywhere. It appears that he is a small time hero but that’s only because he hasn’t figured out how to really apply himself. He has great potential and he desperately wants a chance to ‘fight the good fight.’ This might be his chance and he’s going after it with both hands.

Although a little abrasive and has some issues with authority, he is extremely loyal and doggedly stubborn. As long as he gets to pick where his loyalties lie everything should be just fine.

Any thoughts or tie-in possibilities?

[Regan McLachlan]

Okay, everybody, here is the background, appearance and personality of Regan McLachlan.

History:

From her very first word, it was clear to everyone that Regan McLachlan was extremely intelligent and something of a smartass; though silent until the age of three, she stood up in the middle of her mother’s philosophy lecture and said, “Idiot” as a professor pontificated about Plato’s The Republic. It drew general laughter from the student audience, including her mother, and her reputation was set for life.

The daughter of professional students Ian and Lisa McLachlan and granddaughter to the legendary Dr. Samuel ‘Doc Lock’ McLachlan, it was only to be expected that Regan was both gifted and opinionated. She completed secondary education by the age of twelve and acquired her first Bachelor of Arts with three majors (Historical Studies, Linguistic Studies and Literature Studies) by the age of fifteen. Her first PhD in the mythological and theological influences in modern fantasy literature followed in two years. Seemingly able to thrive on little sleep, she gained three more degrees in Anthropology (majoring in folklore), Philosophy (majoring in Classical philosophy) and Library Science (majoring in Information Systems) in six years while being enrolled in three different universities. Her mind impressed her lecturers, but her ability to humble them failed to endear her; Regan had to take two lecturers to the university ethics board to get her proper marks because they deliberately failed her. By the age of twenty-six, when she gained her second PhD in the connections between philosophy and folklore, she announced that she was tired of being a student. Australian academia breathed a sigh of relief.

Her grandfather, by now a very elderly man, arranged for Regan to inherit his membership in the Aeon Society, the relaxed atmosphere perfect for the unorthodox academic. The Smithsonian Institute jumped on her virtually as soon as she got off the plane in New York City, necessitating a commute between the Big Apple and Washington DC as she divided her time between lecturing and investigating. Popular with her students because of her laidback attitude towards education and caustic mockery of more staid colleagues, she became involved in advocacy, alternative educational arrangements and scholarships for disadvantaged students. Her contacts with the Aeon Society allowed her to pull much of this through, and Regan is personally responsible for an influx of new and fresh blood into the Society.

Her job within the Society is clear: investigate the unusual. She is comfortable at almost all levels of society, with contacts ranging from Catholic priests to biker UFO ‘experts’ to professional academics. She has chased down legends of vampires in Romania, tracked jaguars in Central America and searched for the legendary lost pyramids in Egypt.

There is fervent discussion between the Aeon experts on whether Regan was born Inspired (as the granddaughter of a known Inspired) or became so during childhood. She couldn’t care less either way, as she knows her duty is to educate the next generation and save academia from taking itself too seriously.

Though still technically a member of the Aeon Society, Regan’s proactive approach to the use of Inspired abilities to help humanity instead of being observers has led her to make low-level association with the movement founded by Rei Tomizawa and Clay Ernhart-Zorbo. Her parents are mortified by it but her grandfather is somewhat supportive of her.

Appearance:

Regan is a striking woman who can turn heads wherever she goes due to a mix of confidence and good looks. Her height and build are average, her complexion fair and her eyes blue. Her hair is blonde and her features regular, a faint gleam of humour in her eyes usually noticeable and a smile almost always on her generous lips. She looks oddly young for someone in her late twenties.

Personality

Regan doesn’t believe in the Judeo-Christian concepts of good and evil, preferring instead the Buddhist belief in karma (every action has a reaction). This makes her perfectly comfortable in doing small evils for a greater good, defending herself with fatal force and using whatever knowledge she has to get the job done. Many would call her amoral, but Regan knows that she is not – for every ‘evil’ deed she has done, she has performed a ‘good’ one to balance it. She donates a lot of her wages to charity (as an academic, she would be earning Resources 3) and has personally put in a lot of time and effort into helping others. But she’s also lied, cheated and stolen from others who were intending to misuse knowledge, and even killed in hostile situations.

On a personal level, Regan is downright brilliant and humorous. Her ability to shred egos into tiny pieces has endeared her to students and pissed off her colleagues, but none can deny her sheer knowledge – in her chosen fields, Regan is one of the finest minds in the world. The only reason she is not celebrated and courted everywhere is because her mouth has made her many enemies.

Family:

Ian and Lisa McLachlan - Regan's parents, professional students and low-level members of the Aeon Society. They take doing nothing to the next level, living on the trust fund that Ian's father Samuel organised for them. Things are lukewarm between Regan and her parents because of her Inspiration and proactive nature.

Samuel 'Doc Lock' McLachlan - The grandson of a Scottish highwayman sent to Australia as a convict, Sam educated himself and got into medical school to become a doctor by the age of twenty-five (young in those days). He was soon Australia's earliest expert in psychoanalysis, consorting with the likes of Freud and Jung and eventually Maxwell Anderson Mercer and Michael Donighal. He was present at the Hammersmith Incident and became a master mesmerist known as Doc Lock on the level of Mister Saturday, with whom he had a grudging respect and intense rivalry. He founded the Sydney chapter of the Aeon Society for Gentlemen, proving to be much more racially tolerant than his contemporaries by recruiting the Chinese martial artist Lei Mei (no relation to Rhiannon Lewis' companion) and the Aboriginal elder and fellow mesmerist Jack Curlew. He married Lei Mei in 1927, only to be devastated when she died in 1932 at the hands of the Ubiquitous Dragon during the Sydney tong wars. Jack Curlew died in 1945 during the Primoris-Aeon conflict.

After WW2, Samuel did the right thing and married a Scottish immigrant named Nettie, eventually fathering son Ian. Wealthy from his investments and association with the Society, he retired from society during the 1950s as his ageing was decidedly slower than norm. Nettie never lived to see her granddaughter Regan, born in in the early 1980s to Ian and his girlfriend Lisa (Sam had to force them to marry), but Sam decided to take a role in the girl's life.

These days, Samuel is a very elderly but still vigorous man. He is one of the most powerful Mesmerists alive and it is believed he has passed on his powers to his granddaughter Regan. He has the Knacks Brain Skimming, Command Voice, Marked Man, Telluric Resonance, Psychic Hand, Telegitation, Cloak of Dread, Mindhammer, Brainstorm, Thermal Manipulation, Frost and Flame Conjuration, Sleight of Will and Cloud the Mind.

Image of Regan:

(Yes, it's Jeri Ryan, aka Seven of Nine from Star Trek: Vorager).

[Dr. Mystery]

I was wondering if Fuyuko might have had some scientific dealings with Bradford at some point. She's one of the top names in Robotics in the world, even though most of her degrees are honorary. It might be a good tie in to the rest of the group, Fuyuko seems a little further out from everybody else. Thoughts?

[Tekk One]

Originally posted by poppalee:

Any thoughts or tie-in possibilities?

I can see one tie with my character. Since Jim is an ex Detective, and has/is working for/with Ms Mclachlan, Jim could have been sent to investigate Mark's activities to see whether or not he could be recruited into the "movement". Since he displays the same views as Jim it would be a nice fit, for them to work together, and joining up would be the first step in "fighting the good fight"

[jameson (ST)]

Fuyoko could be connected to Raphael easily. ATI hires the best of the best, period. Degrees matter little to a company looking to make the leaps forward in technology that ATI has done and continues to do. If you wanted to be a current employee I think a few dots of Backing would work or you could be a past employee with good relations/freelance work on a continual basis after you left. drop me a line with what you think.

[Tekk One]

This should be enough info here to form some hooks w/ the other characters. Any other thoughts would be helpful to.

Jim Tanner was born in China Lake, Ca in 1974 to David and Nancy Tanner, an only child; he lived there for a couple years at the Navy weapons station there. Moved to Virginia in 79 where he lived until he graduated from high school.

His early years were typical for the most part. Like most children he had his share of mishaps and troubles, but he found out at an early age that there was something different with him. His parents were very loving and caring for him, and they would often take trips to visit his grandfather Francis, whom Jim loved talking with. His grandfather always had stories about his time in WWII and what it was like growing up in the “Inspired” Age. He also imparted a love of classic detective novels to Jim, which he never lost the love for. School for Jim wasn’t difficult, as he excelled in the classroom and also on the sports field, becoming an all-american in soccer, and finishing high school with a 3.9 G.P.A.

Moving on to college at Old Dominion University, Jim found himself drawn to the Criminal Science field. After attaining his Associate of Arts degree his grandfather’s influence told hold of Jim, and he headed off to the Police Academy. His time spent at the Academy progressed rather quickly for Jim, he quickly found himself receiving top marks in all categories, and finishing at the top of his class. He formed a bond with a few of his classmates that he still keeps in contact with, Zack Owens and Thomas Jones. Thomas and Zach went on the CIA, and FBI respectively after their time on the force.

Jim specialized in solving unusual cases using his extraordinary powers of observation and logical reasoning, and frequently demonstrates these abilities by making on-the-spot deductions about their personalities and recent activities. Several high profile cases Jim has solved include, the capture of the infamous “Lady Scalper “ serial killer, locating numerous runaway children , and even surviving a shoo tout with a local drug dealer, where it was recorded that he suffered no bullet wounds despite being shot more than once. These events garnered him some celebrity, within the state and the surrounding area, and lead to a quick rise inside the department.

,,

After a few years on the force, Jim tried his hand at joining the C.I.A. His buddy Thomas from his days at the police academy set him up with an interview. Jim jumped on the chance, and alerted his Chief at the Department of his intentions. Surprised at his decision, Jim’s chief reluctantly signed his release papers. Thrilled with the chance to move to a bigger stage, Jim prepared himself for his entry into the C.I.A. Prior to him going to his interview Jim was hired by Regan McLachlan, to assist her in tracking down some “Inspired”. After a few months working for her, and her organization, Jim came to believe in her vision and has joined in on the growing movement of new "Inspired"

Appearance and Personality

Jim is a well built man in his early 30’s; he is rather tall 6’3 with jet black hair. He favors a trench coat and a pipe very much like his childhood hero Sherlock Holmes. Jim's look on life is one of a more pleasant and uplifting on. He has a soft spot for those less fortunate than himself, and will go to almost any length to protect them. He see's himself as loyal, trustworthy and dedicated to making the world the best possible place to live in.

[Mark J. Cobb]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tekk One:

Originally posted by poppalee:

Any thoughts or tie-in possibilities?

I can see one tie with my character. Since Jim is an ex Detective, and has/is working for/with Ms Mclachlan, Jim could have been sent to investigate Mark's activities to see whether or not he could be recruited into the "movement". Since he displays the same views as Jim it would be a nice fit, for them to work together, and joining up would be the first step in "fighting the good fight"

Works for me...

Now I just gotta figure out how to convert my background into game mechanics.

Any Inspired abilities Mark may have would probably be passive and/or physical in nature.

[Regan McLachlan]

Quote:

Prior to him going to his interview Jim was hired by Regan McLachlan, to assist her in tracking down some “Inspired”. After a few months working for her, and her organization, Jim came to believe in her vision and has joined in on the growing movement of new "Inspired"

Tekk One,

Sounds like a good tie between the duo. Regan has minor telepathic and telekinetic powers in addition to her Jack of All Tongues Knack (Brain Skimming and Psychic Hand), so she would be able to steer proactive Inspired like yourself to the Movement rather than the Aeon Society (Regan has low-level Backing in both organisations at the moment).

Regan is more likely to pay in kind (information) rather than hard money, because she only has Resources 2. Does that sound good to you?

[Tekk One]

Quote:

Originally posted by poppalee:

Any thoughts or tie-in possibilities?

,,

Works for me...,,

Quote:

Originally posted by Regan McLachlan:

Tekk One,

Sounds like a good tie between the duo. Regan has minor telepathic and telekinetic powers in addition to her Jack of All Tongues Knack (Brain Skimming and Psychic Hand), so she would be able to steer proactive Inspired like yourself to the Movement rather than the Aeon Society (Regan has low-level Backing in both organisations at the moment).

Regan is more likely to pay in kind (information) rather than hard money, because she only has Resources 2. Does that sound good to you?[/QB]

[Dr. Mystery]

Fuyuko would probably be much more into Freelance work, probably on a continual basis to fund some of her personal projects, although I imagine the two characters would probably have an amiable relationship, albeit a mostly business one at the start of the game, in contrast to becoming comrades. What do you think?

[Mark J. Cobb]

Would anyone be willing to send me a list of Knacks (descriptions not necessary, just names and maybe costs) and how much eac 'dot' costs? So I can get a few for the game mechanics of character creation. If not, no biggie.

[jameson (ST)]

Knacks don't have dot's though some do have a variable effect based on your willpower, inspiration, or some other trait. All Heroic Knacks are 2 Transformation points (TPs) and the Psychic and Dynamic knacks cost the following:

Level 1 - 1 TP

Level 2 - 2 TP

Level 3 - 3 TP

Psychic and Dymanic knacks fall into those three levels which generally equute to their in game power. I don't have my books here so I cannot give you a list but I think there is an interactive Excel character sheet which may have that stuff and could help you build your character.

[jameson (ST)]

Quote:

Fuyuko would probably be much more into Freelance work, probably on a continual basis to fund some of her personal projects, although I imagine the two characters would probably have an amiable relationship, albeit a mostly business one at the start of the game, in contrast to becoming comrades. What do you think?

I would say based on her age the relationship would be closer to a mentor type. Raphael is in his 30s and has students at MIT who are Fuyuko's age. Depending on if your character has been working towards a degree or completely self taught we could probably find a fit somewhere.

Raphael might even be funding your research directly with an eye on exclusive production/distribution rights for ATI on any items which end up becoming publically availably technology.

[Mark J. Cobb]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Raphael Bradford:
Knacks don't have dot's though some do have a variable effect based on your willpower, inspiration, or some other trait. All Heroic Knacks are 2 Transformation points (TPs) and the Psychic and Dynamic knacks cost the following:

Level 1 - 1 TP
Level 2 - 2 TP
Level 3 - 3 TP

Psychic and Dymanic knacks fall into those three levels which generally equute to their in game power.

THANKS!!!

[Buzzkill]

Misha was born in 1980 in Russia, and grew up in the last turbulent gasps of the Soviet Union, hearing the terrible stories of Stalin and Lenin (especially Stalin) from his parents and uncles. As the Soviet Union crumbled into chaos he went to live with an uncle who had moved to America in order to keep safe from the growing Russian Mafia which replaced the government. Once in America his uncle told him a great secret. He and his family were the last of the Bogatyri, an order of Knights dedicated to protecting Mother Russia. With the fall of the Czars, the Bogatyri were hunted down and killed or imprisoned, and what was worse one of their own betrayed them and joined Lenin and the Communists. The Bogatyri are blessed with great strength and resilience and were the backbone of the Czars. The one that betrayed them was his uncle's youngest brother, and he has no doubt he is still alive and hunting him down.

Misha was inducted into the Bogatyri on his uncle's deathbed when he turned 15, that summer, the slight and frail Misha filled out, and kept filling out. He grew a foot over the summer and put on almost 70 pounds of muscle, and just kept growing. He reached his current height of 7'2" and some 475 pounds when he turned 21. He returned to Russia to do what he could for the rest of his family and to look up some of the contacts and allies his Uncle told him about. He was captured and sent to the Gulags in Siberia which the fledgling governments said were no longer in operation. It was there that he actually found the last of the Bogatyri and they trained him in Sanbo (a Russian wrestling style) and other tactics and skills to help fight oppression. He was there for 5 years (until 2006) and escaped (some say he literally walked through the wall and then to Europe). In Europe he made his famous appearance on TV to earn some cash. It was here that he entered his relationship with Rafael.

Some personality traits. Misha despises communism and socialism, he will eagerly pursue arguments with what he calls (in Lenin's own words) 'useful idiots'; people that live in a free country but desire tyranny. He is fiercely independent in politics and with what the government should and shouldn't be able to do, and is a fanatical capitalist. He has good manners, dresses well, will literally take a bullet for the people he cares about, and no one has ever really seen him get mad. However he warns early on not to refer to him as a communist (even as a joke) or to call him 'comrad' (he claims that 'comrad' was used by the communists in order to remove people's identities and individuality). He usually allows Rafael to let people know ahead of time; "Whatever you do, don't call Misha comrad or a communist". No one has ever seen him get upset, but he's turned small armies of men into pretzels and piles of bruises and fractures. He flipped a car that was blocking an exit, and once was shot 5 times in the back, and then broke the man that did it, but no one has ever seen him upset. You'd really hate to see him when he's angry.

[Dr. Mystery]

mentor-type relationship works well for me. any technology fuyuko makes could be distributed by your company, although she would retain copyright of all of the schematics and designs if you don't mind.

[Erin 'Stellar' Donovan]

Janos does not need to be the only person Joel has ties to, btw. Joel has traveled all around world in search of thrills, races and for fights and training. He's from a prominent family (even if something of a baclsheep) and is a outgoing, friendly guy. I am open to other possible PC tie-ins.

[Mark J. Cobb]

I do believe Mark and Dr. Raphael Bradford are cousins...

I'll have to think of a completely inappropriate nick-name.

[Mark J. Cobb]

OK, just until I can get the Avatar working (I'll probably have to ask some one to make it then send it to me).

I give you... Mark Cobb!

[jameson (ST)]

Mark Cobb

We're going to hacve to work out exactly how you are elated to myself and Jameson. Jameson was an only child so strictly speaking cannot be an uncle of yours. As his parents died while he was fairly young Jameson lost contact with his extended family, it is possible you are related to Jameson (and thus Raphael) through Jameson's mother or father. This would make Jameson a great-cousin with multiple removals due to the generation gap and Raphael would likely fall into the "barely related" category as our common ancestor would be one of Jameson's parents 4 generations back.

[Mark J. Cobb]

He is related through his mother's side.

So Mark's mother's father was Jameson's cousin.

That man's mother would be Jameson's father's sister.

Does that work for you and can Mark call you Raphy?

[jameson (ST)]

Sounds fine.

I'm pretty certain Raphael would not tolerate being called Raphy

I don't see Raphael taking to any nicknames though possibly people using his middle name as a nickname might be tolerated.

[Mark J. Cobb]

How about Doc Raphy then? No? Just Doc?

Um, what's his middle name?

[Mark J. Cobb]

(Just checking something)

[jameson (ST)]

Dr. Raphael Gregory Bradford, ScD., PhD, MD.

ScD is the Doctorate of Sciences which MIT gives out.

Physical appearance:

Raphael stands about 5'11" and could easily be described as "lean" though not very strong (or dextrous for that matter) he does keep in fit shape and has competed in the Boston Marathon for the past 5 years. His body relfects this with lean almost ropy muscles beneath his skin.

Deep blue eyes peer out from behind a pair of silver spectacles which he no longer needs to wear. A full head of blonde hair is kept short and neatly combed and he sports a trimmed moustache and goatee.

Raphael dresses for scuccess when not in the lab (where all bets are off if he has even showered recently). Armani suits and other custom tailored and fit clothing is common when out on the town or even relaxed at home. When active he tends towards lightweight sweats and t-shirts when working out.

[Mark J. Cobb]

WOW!!!

Look at all those letters after his name!

Mark tends towards sarcasm especially when intimidated on a social level (which anyone with an advanced degree or six will do). Hence the nicknames. It's his defense mechinism against his feelings of social ineptitude. He will not be offensive or crude, however. They may often change to fit the situation.

If it REALLY bothers a player (not the character, it's supposed to bother the characters, that's why he does it), I'll tell Mark to knock it off. He usually listens to me...

[Alex Craft]

A few odd notes/ideas about characters. Oddly, they all have some connection back to Raphael.

I like how Raphael/Misha/Fuyuko have something of a little group going on separate from Aeon Society, or any other faction. Go with that. And, with that, I'd like to rearrange dates a little to let Raphael and Clay Zorbo know each other personally - that's a good link to build.

On the relationship between Raphael and Misha, a couple of ideas happened to come to mind. I'll share, and you do what you like.

• Misha is maybe twenty years older. Perhaps he was sent to America in order to avoid getting conscripted into the Soviet army, rather than to flee the collapse of the Union. That happened a lot, so it's quite plausible.

Regardless, rather than being hired by Raphael, he was hired by Raphael's parents, or by Jameson/Kate, to watch Raphael on account of some concern about kidnapping/ransom cases or old enemies cropping up and causing trouble. So, Misha's seen Raphael grow up, and he himself is an older, more experienced professional.

• Or, maybe something happened to Raphael in recent years. He got into trouble with a personal enemy, or an enemy of his grandparents, or just got caught up by someone who thought that the rich scientist might bring a decent ransom.

By pure coincidence, Misha was around, and he opted to rescue Raphael (seems in character). After that, it occurred to Raphael that it might be a good idea to get a bodyguard, and that Misha seemed to be pretty good at that kind of thing.

[Buzzkill]

I like the second option more as I wanted him to not be older and more veteran. It does make sense the second scenario too.

[Mark J. Cobb]

Curious as to how you are going to throw Mark into the mix...

So many options from family to "stepping into his cab one day..."

[jameson (ST)]

I agree with Misha, I think we will have more fun playing a pair of guys who started as freinds, became employer/employee, and are now (or will be in the future) very much the best of freinds.

Other connections (so that the group knows/is clear)

Fuyuko - Raphael is a mentor to this robotics wiz and through ATI provides a source of income and a way to bring Fuyuko's technology to the masses

Regan - Raphael routinely uses Regan as a sort of extended HR, performing indepth background checks on the scientists who are hired by ATI as well as providing information to Raphael on portential employees. Their relationship is freindly and Raphael often pays Regan with new technology rather than actual money.

Misha - The Brock Samson to Raphael's Doctor Venture, Misha and Raphael are close freinds and whether intended or not have become adventuring partners

Mark Cobb - a distant relation to Raphael beyond that I don't know what you have planned

Janos - Connected to Raphael through Jameson, might these two have interacted themselves?

Alex Reid - no connection at this time

Carter Hollis - no connection at this time

If Cobb and Janos have any detail they want to work out please post here or PM me. Reid and Hollis you are more than welcome to jump in on this, just post or PM ideas and we can try and work something out, otherwise I look forward to meeting you

[Alex Reid]

Alex Reid may have been guided by relatively low-level Inspired or non-inspired ... possibly a drill instructor in boot camp, a sergeant at the police academy, some people he saved (genuine danger, it's just that it wasn't a simple crime).

Thus, the links to others can be more along the lines of coincidence or synchronicity.

I'm actually toying with a mentor (or at least an ally) being the owner of a Chinese restaurant, above which Alex rents an apartment. (The family home was foreclosed on, Mom lives in a small apartment, etc.)

The predominant crime family can be Mafia, Yakuza, Tong - whatever works for the campaign.